Essay about Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

When one reads Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House for the first time, at first glance they may focus on the themes of interpersonal relationships and a variety of deceitful acts. However, during the third act it becomes apparent the controversial impact that A Doll House is going to have around the world for years to come. When Nora slams the door on her marriage and therefore her children, there was outrage around the world. According to A Doll’s House by David M. Galens and Lynn M. Spampinato, the critics could not believe that a woman would “voluntarily choose to sacrifice her children in order to seek her own identity.” In fact, Galens and Spampinato point out that Ibsen had to write an alternate ending for the play by the management of its first German production when even the actress refused to portray a mother who would leave her children. Galens and Spampinato stated that the alternate ending portrayed Nora changing her mind upon seeing her children for the last time and that Ibsen considered this alternate ending “a barbaric outrage to be used only in emergencies.” According to Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing written by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell, the cultural context in 1879 when the play was first published and performed prevented “women from voting, handling their own finances or borrowing money in their own name (1165).” Ibsen’s use of symbolism, irony and realism work together to demonstrate the struggles that women faced during the Nineteenth century.
The Nineteenth century posed many obstacles for woman around the world. According to Eric Foner and John Garraty, during the middle of the nineteenth century in America women were required to follow common law which meant that everything s...

... middle of paper ...

...ould not be a good mother because many women become bitter and mistreat their children. Some argued that it was actually a sign of strength that Nora made the decision that she made (Galens and Spampinato). This can also be reflected in A Doll House, when Torvald tells Nora that when there is deceit in the home the children are the ones who suffer and “every breath the children take in is filled with the germs of something degenerate (1: 474). Torvald then goes on to blame the mother for all children who go bad in life (1: 476). Then when the nurse tries to bring the children to see Nora she refuses to see them because she has the revelation that she is guilty of deceit and according to her husband’s assertions her children were in danger from her. Nora states “Hurt my children! Poison my home! That’s not true. Never. Never in all the world (1:482,483,485).

Click the button above to view the complete essay, speech, term paper, or research paper

Need Writing Help?

Essay on Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House
- Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House In the following essay I will discussing whether or not I believe that Mrs. Linde is right on calling Nora “childish” in the first act of “A Dolls House.” “A Dolls House” was written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879 is based upon the day to day human struggle against the degrading constraints of social conformity.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen Doll's House]

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Essay
- A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play about a woman who realizes that she is worth more than she has been given credit. Her whole life she was treated like a little doll; too fragile to do anything serious, too frail to be troubled with real business. She was the wife, mother and homemaker. The only things she was perceived as capable of were running the home, raising the children and looking pretty. This was a common stereotype for women in the 1880’s. Women were treated as possessions, not people.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen Doll's House]

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Essay
- A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen “A dolls house” was written by Henrik Ibsen and produced by famous actors during the time of the 1800’s; in fact it was the year of 1879 to be precise. It was around this time that many different Social, cultural and historical moments were changing through time, leaving the end result to change not only one country but had an effect on most of the world. For this section of the work I will be carefully discussing with you the issues of; * Social events * Cultural events * Historical events Social Each of these events all had major issues around during the time; like the peoples views on marriage and the roles of men and women – with or without being mar... [tags: Doll's House Henrik Ibsen Essays]

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Essay
- Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Plot and Sub-plots The play begins on Christmas Eve of the late 19th century, in the living room of a middle class family, the Helmers. Nora is the female lead role in this play who is treated very child-like by her husband, Torvald. He appears to have taken over her father’s role which in turn allows their marriage to be built on unstable foundations and although both parties have each other’s best interests in mind, it is clear to the audience from the start that the relationship has elements of deception that could possibly be destructive.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen Doll's House Essays]

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Essay
- Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Ibsens's play is a modern tragedy which functions on two levels, questioning the established social order of the day and presenting the death of a marriage. Both these events create a great deal of tension, and combined with the language and actions used by the characters, make the play very intense. The main cause of dramatic tension throughout the play is the way that the difference between the real nature of the characters and the roles they are assigned by society is presented.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen Doll's House Essays]

Nora's Decision in Henrik Ibsen’s Play A Doll’s House Essay example
- Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House, illustrates the primary ideals of motherhood through protagonist Nora Helmer, who desires independence separate from her stifled 19th century lifestyle. Likewise, her decision to walk out on her husband and three small children is seen as a very controversial and scandalous act during this time period. Nora’s crisis emerges from her lack of a maternal figure during her childhood, her previous connotations of men, and ultimately her choice to abandon her loved ones for an independence all her own.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen, A Doll’s House]

Essay on Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House
- At the end of A Doll's House, Isben surprises the audience. When Torvald learns that Krogstad is no longer threatening him, he offers to forgive Nora. Most people in the audience would expect the ending to be happy and for the family to live its life as it did before. Shockingly, Nora tells Torvald that she plans on leaving him and their children. She realizes that her life has not been happy and that Torvald does not really love her. Nora has many motivations for leaving Torvald. She feels that she has been treated like a doll her whole life, and does not like being treated that way.... [tags: A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen]

Essay on Conflict in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
- Conflict in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen In every play, there is always conflict. Without it, the story would simply be dull and boring. There would be no lessons learnt and nothing that keeps the story going. Everyone has different opinions and perceptions about particular things and this is why conflict occurs – everyone is human and that is the reality. The different kinds of conflict include the conflict between individuals, within the individual and conflict with society. In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, there is evidence that all three of these kinds of conflict exists.... [tags: A Doll's House Henrik Ibsen Essays]

The Feminist Movement in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Essay
- The Feminist Movement in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen In Henrik Ibsen's, A Doll's House, the character of Nora Helmer goes through the dramatic transformation of a kind and loving housewife, to a desperate and bewildered woman, whom will ultimately leave her husband and everything she has known. Ibsen uses both the characters of Torvald and Nora to represent the tones and beliefs of 19th century society. By doing this, Ibsen effectively creates a dramatic argument that continues to this day; that of feminism.... [tags: Doll?s House Henrik Ibsen Essays Papers]:: 4 Works Cited

Marriage Without Love in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Essay
- Marriage Without Love in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House In his play, 'A Doll?s House,' Henrik Ibsen shows a marriage built only on appearances, and not love. Both Nora the wife, and Torvald the husband, pretend they are in love throughout the story. However, love should be patient and kind, and their love is anything but that. Nora treats her husband as a father figure. Her feelings towards Torvald are more about dependence than love. Torvald treats Nora like a child or a pet. He gets very angry and frustrated with Nora, and he does not truly love her.... [tags: Henrik Ibsen Doll's House Essays Papers]:: 5 Works Cited